U.S. patent application number 10/081578 was filed with the patent office on 2002-09-12 for franking system user interface.
Invention is credited to Casey, Drew, DaSilva, Jaime, Maniura, Thomas, Moy, Christian, Rosenkranz, Daniel, Zehner, Stefan.
Application Number | 20020126148 10/081578 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 27574592 |
Filed Date | 2002-09-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020126148 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Rosenkranz, Daniel ; et
al. |
September 12, 2002 |
Franking system user interface
Abstract
A franking machine control panel and its associated method
provide users with touch screen displays in which the main screens
contain history tabs. When a history tab is pressed, the display
reverts to the previous status of the category of interest, and
allows the user to make changes if desired. In the preferred
embodiment, the history tabs allow users to view and modify
information which is mandatory to the franking process, such as the
mail class and postage rates. Another aspect of the present
invention allows the user to configure the more actively used
buttons of touch screen on one side or the other, depending on the
dominant side of the user's body.
Inventors: |
Rosenkranz, Daniel;
(Eichberg, CH) ; Moy, Christian; (Grossaffoltern,
CH) ; Maniura, Thomas; (Solothurn, CH) ;
Zehner, Stefan; (Bern, CH) ; DaSilva, Jaime;
(Naugatuck, CT) ; Casey, Drew; (Akron,
OH) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PERMAN & GREEN
425 POST ROAD
FAIRFIELD
CT
06430
US
|
Family ID: |
27574592 |
Appl. No.: |
10/081578 |
Filed: |
February 22, 2002 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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60270796 |
Feb 23, 2001 |
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60277806 |
Mar 22, 2001 |
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60277841 |
Mar 22, 2001 |
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60277873 |
Mar 22, 2001 |
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60277931 |
Mar 22, 2001 |
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60277946 |
Mar 22, 2001 |
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60338892 |
Nov 5, 2001 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
715/764 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B41J 2/16547 20130101;
G07B 2017/00516 20130101; B41J 2/1752 20130101; B65H 5/00 20130101;
B65H 2511/13 20130101; G07B 2017/00491 20130101; G07B 2017/00258
20130101; G07B 17/00024 20130101; G07B 2017/00427 20130101; B65H
2511/13 20130101; B65H 1/08 20130101; G07B 17/00467 20130101; G07B
2017/00048 20130101; G07B 2017/0029 20130101; B65H 2513/40
20130101; G06F 3/04886 20130101; G07B 2017/00137 20130101; B65H
2220/01 20130101; B65H 2220/01 20130101; G07B 2017/00322 20130101;
B65H 2220/02 20130101; Y10S 715/973 20130101; B65H 2220/11
20130101; B65H 2511/51 20130101; B65H 2701/1916 20130101; G07B
2017/00056 20130101; G07B 2017/00241 20130101; G06F 3/0483
20130101; B65H 2301/321 20130101; B65H 3/04 20130101; G07B
2017/00177 20130101; B65H 2511/51 20130101; B65H 2405/35 20130101;
B65H 29/18 20130101; G07B 2017/00145 20130101; B65H 2513/40
20130101; B65H 2601/321 20130101; G07B 2017/00282 20130101; G07B
2017/00677 20130101; G07B 2017/00935 20130101; B65H 2301/4214
20130101; B65H 2555/13 20130101; G06K 15/102 20130101; G07B
17/00193 20130101; B65H 31/06 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
345/764 |
International
Class: |
G09G 005/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. In a franking machine, a control system comprising: a system
controller; and a control interface for manually entering data and
system directives, said control interface comprising: a touch
screen display; and a display generator adapted to generate display
screens having a plurality of touch button regions; wherein said
control system is adapted to generate main screens and work
screens, said screens also comprising main areas for entering
current data and directives, and history tabs adapted to activate
displays for viewing the status and previous action associated with
a categories of functions or information, and allowing a user to
change information in the category associated with each specific
history tab.
2. The control system in claim 1, wherein said history tabs
activate displays for only one previous history of the category
associated therewith.
3. The control system in claim 1, wherein said history tabs
activate displays for categories of mandatory franking
information.
4. The control system in claim 1, wherein said history tabs
activate displays for categories of rate-related information.
5. In a franking system, a control interface for manually entering
data and system directives, said control interface comprising: a
touch screen display; a display generator adapted to generate
display screens having a plurality of touch button regions; and a
user display preference control coupled to said display generator,
and adapted to control the grouping and orientation of said touch
button regions.
6. The control interface in claim 5, wherein said display
preference control and said display generator are adapted to locate
groups with more frequently touched touch button regions in a
user-chosen hemisphere of displays.
7. The control interface in claim 6, wherein said user-chosen
hemisphere corresponds to the dominant side of the user's body.
8. The control system in claim 1, further comprising a display
preference control coupled to said display generator, and adapted
to control the grouping and orientation of said touch button
regions.
9. The control interface in claim 8, wherein said display
preference control and said display generator are adapted to locate
groups with more frequently touched touch button regions in a
user-chosen hemisphere of displays.
10. The control interface in claim 9, wherein said user-chosen
hemisphere corresponds to the dominant side of the user's body.
11. The control system in claim 1, wherein said control system is
further adapted to assign a particular advertisement field to be
included in indicia printed on mail or mail labels, the particular
advertisement field depending on the account to which mail being
franked is charged.
12. The control system in claim 1, wherein said control system is
further adapted to assign a particular advertisement field to be
included in indicia printed on mail or mail labels, the particular
advertisement field depending on the user operating said franking
machine.
13. The control system in claim 1, wherein said control interface
further comprises an overlay screen activation key adapted to
activate an series of overlay screens linked to said main screens
or said work screens, said overlay screens for entry of data or
commands without closing the associated main or work screen.
14. The control system in claim 13, wherein said overlay screens
are associated with display settings.
15. The control system in claim 13, wherein said overlay screens
are associated with print engine management.
16. The control system in claim 13, wherein said overlay screens
are associated with print position settings.
17. The control system in claim 13, wherein said overlay screens
are associated with motor control settings.
18. The control system in claim 13, wherein said overlay screens
are associated with user context-sensitive information.
19. A method of controlling the operation of a franking machine,
said method comprising the steps of: providing system control via a
system controller; providing a control interface; via said control
interface, manually entering data and system directives; generating
via said control interface, a touch screen display; and via a
display generator, generating display screens having a plurality of
touch button regions; wherein said display screens comprise main
screens and work screens, said screens also comprising main areas
for entering current data and directives, and history tabs adapted
to activate displays for viewing the status and previous action
associated with a categories of functions or information, and
allowing a user to change information in the category associated
with each specific history tab.
20. The method in claim 19, further comprising the step of, via
said history tabs, activating displays for only one previous
history of the category associated therewith.
21. The method in claim 19, further comprising the step of, via
said history tabs, activating displays for categories of mandatory
franking information.
22. The method in claim 19, further comprising the step of, via
said history tabs, activating displays for categories of
rate-related information.
23. In a franking system, a control interfacing method for manually
entering data and system directives, said control interface method
comprising the steps of: providing a touch screen display; via a
display generator, generating display screens having a plurality of
touch button regions; and via a user display preference control
coupled to said display generator, controlling the grouping and
orientation of said touch button regions.
24. The method in claim 23, further comprising the step of locating
groups with more frequently touched touch button regions in a
user-chosen hemisphere of displays.
25. The method in claim 24, wherein said user-chosen hemisphere
corresponds to the dominant side of the user's body.
26. The method in claim 19, further comprising the step of, via a
display preference control coupled to said display generator,
controlling the grouping and orientation of said touch button
regions.
27. The method in claim 26, further comprising the step of locating
groups with more frequently touched touch button regions in a
user-chosen hemisphere of displays.
28. The method in claim 27, wherein said user-chosen hemisphere
corresponds to the dominant side of the user's body.
29. The method in claim 19, further comprising the step of
assigning a particular advertisement field to be included in
indicia printed on mail or mail labels, the particular
advertisement field depending on the account to which mail being
franked is charged.
30. The method in claim 19, further comprising the step of
assigning a particular advertisement field to be included in
indicia printed on mail or mail labels, the particular
advertisement field depending on the user operating said franking
machine.
31. The method in claim 19, further comprising the step of, via
said control interface, activating via an overly screen activation
screen key, a series of overlay screens linked to said main screens
or said work screens, said overlay screens for entry of data or
commands without closing the associated main or work screen.
32. The method in claim 31, wherein said overlay screens are
associated with display settings.
33. The method in claim 31, wherein said overlay screens are
associated with print engine management.
34. The method in claim 31, wherein said overlay screens are
associated with print position settings.
35. The method in claim 31, wherein said overlay screens are
associated with motor control settings.
36. The method in claim 31, wherein said overlay screens are
associated with user context-sensitive information.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority of the following U.S.
provisional patent applications:
[0002] Ser. No. 60/270,796 filed on Feb. 23, 2001,
[0003] Ser. No. 60/277,806 filed on Mar. 22, 2001,
[0004] Ser. No. 60/277,841 filed on Mar. 22, 2001,
[0005] Ser. No. 60/277,873, filed on Mar. 22, 2001,
[0006] Ser. No. 60/277,931 filed on Mar. 22, 2001,
[0007] Ser. No. 60/277,946 filed on Mar. 22, 2001, and
[0008] Ser. No. 60/338,892 filed Nov. 5, 2001.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0009] 1. Field of the Invention
[0010] The present invention generally relates to high-volume,
franking machines that allow users to conveniently and
automatically cause the correct postage indicia to be placed on a
large number of mail pieces. More particularly, the present
invention relates to the control panels of franking machines for
monitoring the operation of the machines, and for entering commands
and data.
[0011] 2. Brief Description of Related Developments
[0012] High-speed digital franking machines, such as those marketed
by Ascom Autelca AG, the assignee of the present Letters Patent,
are apparatuses that allow a postal customer to both rapidly
determine the correct postage for a high volume of mail items, and
to affix a postage indicia on the mail item in an automated or
semi-automated manner. Determining the correct postage can involve
such steps as weighing the mail, sizing the mail, and determining
the mail destination. The general components often include: an
initial feeder for individually feeding pieces of mail into the
machine, a weighing machine for weighing each piece of mail; a user
interface for monitoring and controlling the operation of the
machine and for entering data as needed, a postage calculator for
calculating the correct postage for each piece of mail; a postage
affixer for affixing indicia representing the correct postage on
each piece of mail; and a machine discharger for discharging the
mail from the machine. The postage may be printed on a sticker and
then affixed to the flat (e.g., envelope, postcard, etc.) or
parcel, or it may be printed directly onto the mail.
[0013] An increased demand for franking machines is partly due to
the willingness of various postal authorities to allow private
parties to generate their own postage indicia, provided there are
secure methods for payment, authentication, fraud prevention and
the like. Such a system includes the United States Postal Service's
Information-Based Indicia Program (IBIP).
[0014] Essential to the operation of a self-contained franking
machine, is the control panel. The control panel allows the user to
both monitor the operation of the franking machine, as well as
enter critical data and commands or directives. Various displays
have been used or proposed, including, inter alia, flat panel
displays, CRTs, and touch screen displays. The display can be a
series of separate displays activated automatically, or by the
user.
[0015] Regardless of the display technology used, what is always
desirable, and has never quite been sufficient in the prior art, is
a more user-friendly control panel and its associated displays. One
particular problem with prior art franking machine display
approaches is that there is no user-friendly way of determining the
previous actions (data or commands) with regard to a
currently-displayed category of information or commands of
interest. Especially as relates to mandatory information needed for
the franking process (e.g., mail class and other information),
there is a need to conveniently reach the previous status of such
information and to effect change when desired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0016] In view of the above-identified deficiencies of the prior
art, the present invention provides a control system for a franking
machine. The control system at least includes a system controller,
and a control interface for manually entering data and system
directives. The control interface at least includes a touch screen
display, and a display generator adapted to generate display
screens having a plurality of touch button regions. The control
system is adapted to generate main screens and work screens, these
screens also at least including main areas for entering current
data and directives, and history tabs adapted to activate displays
for viewing the status and previous action associated with a
category of functions or information, and allowing a user to change
information in the category associated with each specific history
tab.
[0017] The present invention also provides, in a franking system, a
control interface for manually entering data and system directives.
The control interface at least includes a touch screen display, a
display generator adapted to generate display screens having a
plurality of touch button regions, and a user display preference
control coupled to the display generator, and adapted to control
the grouping and orientation of the touch button regions.
[0018] The present invention additionally provides a method of
controlling the operation of a franking machine. The method at
least includes the steps of providing system control via a system
controller, providing a control interface, via the control
interface, manually entering data and system directives, generating
via the control interface, a touch screen display, and via a
display generator, generating display screens having a plurality of
touch button regions. The display screens at least include main
screens and work screens, these screens also comprising main areas
for entering current data and directives, and history tabs adapted
to activate displays for viewing the status and previous action
associated with a category of functions or information, and
allowing a user to change information in the category associated
with each specific history tab.
[0019] The present invention further provides, in a franking
system, a control interfacing method for manually entering data and
system directives. The control interface method at least includes
the steps of providing a touch screen display, via a display
generator, generating display screens having a plurality of touch
button regions, and via a user display preference control coupled
to the display generator, controlling the grouping and orientation
of the touch button regions.
[0020] The present invention is described in detail below, with
reference to the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] The foregoing aspects and other Features of the present
invention are explained in the following description, taken in
connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0022] FIG. 1 is a front view of a franking machine having the
present-inventive control panel;
[0023] FIG. 2 is a more detailed view of the present-inventive
control panel;
[0024] FIG. 3 is an example of a main screen and a work screen with
the present-inventive history tabs;
[0025] FIG. 4 is an example of the relationship between work
screens having history tabs of the present invention and overlay
screens having a flag (upper right);
[0026] FIG. 5 is a more detailed view of example history tabs;
[0027] FIG. 6 is an example of the present-inventive feature
allowing a user to place touch screen buttons on a preferred side
of a display;
[0028] FIG. 7 shows two examples of a fox overlay screen having a
fox flag (upper right) and a row of tabs at the bottom;
[0029] FIG. 8 shows two examples of input overlay screens having a
flag (upper right);
[0030] FIG. 9 shows examples of tool bar screens; and
[0031] FIG. 10 shows an example of a user profile definition
screen.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0032] FIG. 1 is a front view of a franking machine 100 embodying
the present invention. Along with its many components, the franking
machine 100 also contains a control panel 110 having a flat panel
display screen 120. The remainder of this Letters Patent will be
directed to the control panel operation, as the other components of
the franking machine are immaterial for an understanding of the
control panel by one skilled in the art to which the present
invention pertains.
[0033] A more detailed view of the control panel 110 is shown in
FIG. 2. In the preferred embodiment, the control panel contains a
number of physical keys (which displace when touched) toward the
bottom. Besides the set of numerical keys, a set of user
programmable keys (on the left) and a set of fix labeled keys (on
the right) are provided. The concept of fix labeled keys is
described in pending U.S. application Ser. No. 09/938,298 filed
Aug. 22, 2001 which is a Continuation-In-Part of U.S. application
Ser. No. 09/152,959 filed Sep. 14, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No.
6,295,523, which is based on U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No.
60/059,099 filed Sep. 16, 1997. Below the touch screen is a row of
command keys and a green LED, which is an optical feedback to the
user. Among these keys is a "fox" key. Pressing this key will
activate an additional layer of screens (the "fox" screens).
[0034] A touch screen 120 appears toward the top of the control
panel. The touch screen produces a series of displays related to
the franking of mail. The screens are broadly categorized as main
screens , work screens and overlay screens.
[0035] The main screen 320 and the work screen 325 in FIG. 3
illustrate a novel aspect of the present invention. That is, the
main screens contain a tool bar 330 containing history tabs
332.
[0036] History tabs are labeled areas on the touch screen that
return the display to a previous screen associated with the label.
For example, one of the history tabs in a main display might be
labeled "mail class." Pressing this history tab allows the user to
return to the mail class selection/designation screen, allowing the
user to view information about the mail class of mail to be
franked, and make a change or changes if desired. FIG. 4
illustrates how when a history tab is activated, a working screen
can be used to help scroll through and enter information.
[0037] FIG. 5 shows enlarged views of activated history tabs 332,
also labeled as "decision fields." From FIG. 5, it can be seen that
the activated history tabs have a column of buttons related to the
category that the user can activate to make data entries and enter
commands. When located on one hemisphere of a display, the buttons
are more easily controlled by a user whose body-side dominance
(i.e., right-handedness or left-handedness) matches that of the
display. Because of this, the present invention novelly allows the
user to configure the screens so that columns of buttons expected
to be more frequently touched can be placed on the side of the
screen favoring his/her body-side dominance. FIG. 6 shows, at its
top, an example of screen buttons located for ease of operation by
a right-handed user. In contrast, the bottom display is an example
of a screen configured for ease of operation by a left-handed
user.
[0038] FIG. 7 shows two examples of fox screens. It is a fixed set
of overlay screens adaptive to the main- or work-screen open when
pressing the fox key. The advantage is that an additional set of
displays often used is accessible using very few keystrokes,
without leaving the present work screen. Typical use of these fox
screens include display setting, print engine management, print
position settings, motor control settings and providing an
assistant screen giving context sensitive information to the user.
These screens are reached by pressing the fox key and then one of
the tabs in the row at the bottom of the screen. The available set
of screens is always visible on the tabs and the screen selected
via the tab is popped on top of the set. The selected screen, even
when leaving the fox screen and returning later, remains until
another tab is pressed. Return to the work level screen is by way
of pressing "OK" (confirm a new entry) or "X" (return to previous
screen).
[0039] FIG. 8 shows two examples of common overlay screens
activated either by a fix labeled key or a button on the work
screen for inputting data or selections.
[0040] All overlay screens carry a flag on the upper right with
their name. The tool bar 330 with the history tabs 332 is partly
covered by this flag and is not active accessible as long as an
overlay screen is open., but is there to inform the user about
where he is in the work screen level.
[0041] FIG. 9 illustrates how the tool bar 330 is handled when the
history tabs are too long for displaying. The active tab is always
lit and visible (except for the third line, which shows the
situation while navigating through the toolbar), and navigation
buttons show when there are more tabs on the left or the right.
[0042] FIG. 10 shows a user profile definition screen that explains
how the assignment of a specific ad field to a specific user is
solved
[0043] Franking Systems of the type disclosed herein can include an
addressing module. The addressing module is generally an optional
part of the system. It retrieves addresses out of a database and
prints them onto envelopes. The printer in the system prints
indicia onto the envelope. The indicia is the entire printing field
that is printed onto the envelope and contain such information as
postage value, city, date, ad fields, etc. Ad fields, or ad dies,
are areas within the general postage printing where advertising
data, pictures, text, etc. may be printed.
[0044] In one embodiment of the system, the touchpad screen can be
modified to display an alphanumeric keyboard to the operator for
the entering of addresses. The main menu on the screen can include
an icon that, when actuated by the operator, displays on the
touchpad screen an address input; for example, a screen having
input fields for addresses, such as return addresses, mailing
addresses, etc. Once the input screen is displayed, the operator
can input an address which is to be printed on envelopes through
the addressing module. Addresses can be inputted and supported
without requiring an additional PC or external device to download
information.
[0045] Ad fields, that is an advertisement slogan placed on the
letter together with the postal indicia, can be printed on mailing
envelopes. In a further embodiment of the system, specific ad
fields are linked to separate departments or accounts, or the
individual users. Software can be provided that contains all the
variations of ad fields that can be printed. When new accounts or
user profiles are created, or existing accounts or user profiles
are to be edited, on the mailing system, such as through the
alphanumeric keyboard on the touchpad screen, the operator can be
prompted by the software to select which ad field is related to
which account or user profiles. From that point on, the account or
user profile will always use the selected ad field when printing
takes place. A similar function is enabling the assignment of a
specific department account to specific users.
[0046] Variations and modifications of the present invention are
possible, given the above description. However, all variations and
modifications which are obvious to those skilled in the art to
which the present invention pertains are considered to be within
the scope of the protection granted by this Letters Patent.
[0047] For example, in the preferred embodiment the history tabs
are used to view and modify mandatory franking information.
However, the operation of the present invention need not be so
limited.
* * * * *